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    C2 - Congress Squared

    3.5 (93 reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM

    C2 - Congress Squared Photos

    C2 - CONGRESS SQUARED ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Classy
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - C2 - Congress Squared

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    Breakfast
    Jamie W.

    I was seated quickly, and offered coffee. It took nearly 10 minutes for anyone to come back to the table to take my order. Then it took about 20 minutes for my food to come out. I never saw the server who took my order again nor did I get a coffee or water refill. There were only 4 tables seated in the restaurant... it was about 10am. I finally waved someone down... she didn't ask how the meal was or if I wanted refills... just saw my credit asked if she could run it and dropped it back off. The person bussing the tables was throwing dishes in the bin so loudly people at the bar were turning around watching and people were making comments about it. Not sure if it was an off day... but not great. Service seemed to be a bit better at the bar.

    Inside
    Rajakumar S.

    Best beer selections. Happy hour chicken dip and chicken wings. Awesome service and always love to come back.

    Berry toast
    Joan H.

    Wonderful meals while I was in town. I was impressed with the chef and the manager. One of the servers was very friendly. Definitely try them out for breakfast and dinner. I heard good things about happy hour too. Add lobster to your breakfast--you won't regret it. Try the yogurt with berries. The mac and cheese with lobster for dinner was to die for--definitely get the half size--I could only eat half of the half. I'm going to miss this place!

    Paul P.

    We stayed at the Westin so we stopped down for the happy hour and it was great. $3 well drinks, selection of beer and wine as well as some apps. The apps were a bit disappointing in size but then again, you get what you paid for. We ordered every app on the menu just to try them out. Overall they were pretty good for the price. If you are staying at the hotel or in the area, I would say definitely stop by for the happy hour. There are a lot of other happy hour options in Portland but if you are staying at the hotel and am tired after a long day. This will be a great option. Afterwards we went to the rooftop bar just to check out the view and a few more drinks.

    Apps!
    Steff D.

    I'm not entirely sure why I'm so into this place... but I am. I was recently in the area with time on my hand between meetings and thought I'd check out their happy hour which happens from 4 to 7 pm: there are $5 select glasses of wine, $4 select bottled beer, and half price apps. So for $12 I got: - a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry large pour of some red wine ($5) - a cheese plate that had three good sized pieces of different kinds of fromage (a harder cheddar, a softer blue, and one other I can't remember), rosemary roasted nuts (which were crunchy, meaty, and divine), toasted baguette, and a drizzle of honey ($14, but only $7 because of half price apps... for the price, I was VERY pleased; too many places in town are charging $7 to $10 for what's really just a suggestion of cheese; I would come back here again for this without a question). - some of the funnest bartenders I've ever met in my life The two fellas working that night - one as host, I believe, and the other behind the bar stole the show. The host was intrigued that I was there - apparently they don't get a lot of Portlanders, and would love to have more of us come in. Both he and the bartender talked to me about the cocktail list - many of them are chosen by corporate, but each Westin gets to add a couple of their own options to bring a little local flare. I had a bit of a falling out with the girl bartender who took over for a spell - I wanted a bloody Mary, but it had anchovy-based Worcestershire sauce in it. When I asked if she could make me one from scratch sans the Worcestshire, she flat out refused saying she had to use the premade house mix. When the male bartender came back (I think his name was Dana or Jamie... something like that) he told me that she had mis-spoken; they'd be more than happy to make me a fresh one. I never followed through with this request, so I'd like to go back and see if they really will! If you're looking for a new cocktail or happy hour place in town, don't pass this one by (my reason for the four star instead of five is because I can't vouch for the cocktails/bloody mary quite yet... just the happy hour and the cheese plate; but, I will ABSOLUTELY be back for drinks and real food, and will bring along friends with me because locals really are missing out on this one)! There's a lot more than meets the eye at Congress Squared (and if you're feeling brave enough [and the bartenders like you enough] ask what their REAL passions are... they might just divulge).

    This burger is way bigger than it looks
    Brett F.

    Happy hour review only...but happy hour runs from 4-7 every day of the week, so I don't know who wouldn't take advantage of this. It's one of the best (if not the best) deal in the city. The restaurant is in the Westin, which in any big city would be a big plus, but Portland hasn't embraced hotel restaurants yet. It's a minimalist but upscale atmosphere with a horseshoe bar and many traditional tables. The happy hour deals are simply incredible. 3/4 of the bottle beer selection (not the best ever, but think Allagash White/Black, Frye's Leap, etc) are all $4, there's a $5 wine selection, and a $6 cocktail of the day. Today it was 1800 tequila with maple sage syrup and soda. Unbelievable drink and very strong. Of course you can order off the extensive and great cocktail list, but the prices are high at $12-$15. On Wednesdays all of the wine bottles are half off. Combined with the food deals this would be an amazing date night. And the happy hour food! The whole bar menu is half off and the portions are enormous. The fancy mac and cheese sounded sublime, tasted even better and surprisingly came with a full salad that was just as good. The burger was also delicious with a heaping portion of bacon and jam. The fries were homemade but a little disappointing. Still, for the happy hour price of $7 it's a steal. Flatbread pizza, lobster sliders, pork sliders, mussels, scallops, etc are a great reason to come back. And basically everything is $5-$8 with the happy hour deal. For an upscale happy hour with huge portions, great food and classy atmosphere, I can't think of anywhere better. Plus it seems to be unknown to locals, so you don't have to fight the crowds. At least for now...

    Oops... I ate it all...
    Vikkie N.

    This was a birthday dinner and being a hotel restaurant we realized it would be expensive, but being new in town we need to try most things at least once - twice if we like it :-) The birthday boy had the awesome looking Pork Chop and I had the Wild Boar Fettuccine. The wild boar was a tasty bolognese but this was the first time in a restaurant (EVER) that I've been served more meat than pasta. The $8 chocolate torte was definitely hotel restaurant sized (tiny) and I didn't find it very nice - which was a shame because the rest was great. The service was attentive - until the very end when we felt a little invisible once we needed the bill.

    Wine -Big Fire
    Itzzy V.

    We stayed at the Westin Hotel and ate at Congress squared lDINNER- My husband ordered the Pork Chops with polenta and squash. It was good, but was served in a HUGE platter. The dish kind of looked awkward on the platter. I should have taken a picture :( I ordered the scallops with risotto. The price was outrageous for 3 scallops... It was very good, but needless to say, we left the restaurant hungry. The Wine -Big Fire was decent for its price and tasted very good. They were busy and understaff, but the customer service was great! The Manager kept coming to our table to ensure we were taken cared for. BREAKFAST- the restaurant redeemed itself, as the breakfast portion was huge! We ordered The Lobster Sliders and Irish Boiler Breakfast. Service was great!

    Rustic hash
    Chris C.

    This is the restaurant in the Portland Westin Harborview, and we had breakfast there during a stay. It's a clean minimal space, maybe a little "hotel restaurant"-ish, but still quite nice. I had the excellent "Rustic Hash". Being a corned beef hash aficionado, i have to say this is among the better versions I've had as far as ingredients - the corned beef was big chunks of corned beef, along with potato and some onion, with a couple over easy eggs, and i asked for English muffin on the side. Everything was cooked well, though the hash could have been crispier and more charred (but that's a personal taste thing) and overall it needed seasoning, but better under- than over-seasoned. My partner had blueberry Yogurt pancakes and said they were delicious We loved the awesome china and flatware. and for a hotel restaurant, the prices were reasonable. The service was friendly and prompt.

    Joe's Scramble Skillet

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    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - C2 - Congress Squared

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    4.1
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    I rarely write reviews, but I had to after our dining experience last night. Everything was perfect…read morefrom the location to the decor, and the FOOD and SERVICE was top notch as well. We are a foodie family who have been to hundreds of restaurants all around the world! The FOOD We ordered 75% of their amazing menu and every bite from the house made cornbread, pork belly, burrata salad, Swordfish, Tuna, Haddock, Sirloin, smash burger, and all [3] desserts we tried were truly amazing. Stephanie [Owner/Chef] was our server and her personality and huge smile made the meal even better. Our family has had a home in OOB for over 30yrs and we have eaten at many different restaurants in that time. We all agreed this was one of our top 5 restaurant experiences here and at home in Connecticut. The portions are huge, and the prices were shockingly reasonable for the menu and location. 10

    We were here for a private work gathering…read more What a lovely place, it's not a huge space, so for the 60ish of us, it can get a little crowded and loud. The service was incredible. The team of servers and bartenders were great. The were on the move the whole night. Offering up food, refiling drinks and passing around appetizers the whole night. All with a smile and recognizing you might not want to hold the toothpick and napkin the whole time and taking it from you before you realize you have been holding it for 10 minutes LOL The food was delicious, the views were lovely. Parking can get a little tight with the big crowds, especially in the summer. Always check ahead, or make reservations, as they do cater to a lot of private events. I hope to return at some point without work people LOL

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    The Honey Paw

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    I had a great dinner experience here last night with my partner. We love love love the honey paw!…read more For starters, it's a great location. Close to more bars for extra drinks, easy to run into other friends. Also, it's a beautiful spot with outdoor seating in the warmer months. We opted to sit outside and enjoyed khao soi, katsu pork sandwich, and the honey soft serve. The portions are generous, as we were able to share and have leftovers. Each plate had so many great textures and flavors. We did experience a long wait between ordering, getting food, and receiving the check. It was a busy summer night so I wasn't upset, but do not plan on having a quick meal here. Get cozy, get an extra drinks and enjoy your time here. Apologies, but phone did not eat first this time-no pics!

    Good meal, prices definitely on the high side…read more Vibe: really cohesive, cool, themed decor. Large shared table in the middle flanked by bar seating. Service: Great Food: We started off with soft serve and the seasonal earl gray outshined the house honey. The earl gray had a great flavor topped with an excellent syrup while the honey was mild and the chocolate shell didn't add anything, although the 'honeycomb' bits were delic. Crispy eggplant special - good, very small portion Pork katsu sandwich - pretty solid, interesting pickle Pad mee korat - good, small portion Value: Aside from the soft serve, the portions were very small for ~$17 price point, and the food was good but aside from the earl gray soft serve, didn't amaze to the point of paying a higher price point. Overall I did like this meal but portions were small for prices. I hope they keep the earl gray soft serve around!

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    Central Provisions

    Central Provisions

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    Dinner at Central Provisions was such a standout experience. The small plates format made it fun to…read moretry a variety of dishes, and everything felt thoughtful and well-executed. The flavors were creative without being overcomplicated, and each dish had something that made it memorable. The atmosphere struck a perfect balance--lively but still intimate enough to enjoy conversation. Service was attentive and knowledgeable, with great recommendations that really elevated the meal. Definitely one of those places you leave already thinking about what you'll order next time.

    We were happy with the service and speed at which the small plates were delivered to us however…read morethere was a small instance where we got a dish we didn't order (not pictured and it was the special). The lemon sole (fish) and octopus carpaccio (not pictured) were filled with flavor! The pork belly was very underwhelming and I would not order again. The waiter said 2-4 plates per person. I recommend starting on the lower end and adding additional dishes based on how you're feeling. The amount of food was very different from dish to dish. For example the tuna dip had way too much bread and the pork belly was very small in size. Overall I was half impressed. I wish the staff would take a moment to announce the plate as it's placed next to you or point it out on the menu for those hard of hearing and wanting to know what they are about to enjoy. However the music, overall restaurant vibe and half the dishes exploding with flavor made my experience pleasant and I will return again knowing a bit more of what to expect and looking at photos of the menu/meal options beforehand.

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    Thames Landing

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    The atmosphere is lovely (music was a good volume), lots of light from the big windows, comfortable…read morechairs, nice decor, and spacious...it didn't feel like they crammed as many tables as possible into the place. The service was great. Very attentive and efficient. The food was as great. My party had a variety of items, from the beet & goat cheese salad, deviled eggs, pancetta and Brussels sprouts, cheeseburger, and BLT with Lobster. Everything was high quality and delicious. The fries which came on the side of the burgers and sandwiches were also excellent. The restaurant has a nice outdoor space but the weather was a little rainy the day we went so we didn't sit outside. I do suggest they add more barriers and greenery/plants to separate the beautiful outdoor seating space from the parking lot across the way.

    Took my mom here while she visits Portland, and we were pleasantly surprised to learn they were…read moreparticipating in Restaurant Week! We shared the street fries to start (YUM) and I opted for the French onion soup as my starter. We then each had a fish dish, the haddock almondine and stuffed salmon, and we ate in silence because that's how delish they both were. Finally we had the chocolate lava cake which was just okay, but that's fine because we were so full from the rest of our meal! The staff is incredibly friendly, and though the space is small it wasn't too loud or cramped. And the igloos outside looked so cool - would definitely be worth visiting on a snowy day!

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    The Highroller Lobster

    The Highroller Lobster

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    The Lobster roll from The Highroller is pretty up there! It's not the best I've had but it is very…read moregood. I guess I learned that I don't like mayo with the roll because it overpowers the flavor and this place specializes in sauces so of course I tried their mayo. I'm sure the classic butter on a roll would be just right. Potato salad was great though! And I love that they have a vast n/a drink options. A little something for everyone. The easy QR code ordering allows you to order on your own so you don't have to split the bill later. Much appreciated for those who come in a big group. Truly worth trying!

    Everything was exceptional, starting with the bread which was fluffy, soft, and buttery. I enjoyed…read moremy meal so much that I ordered two of the lobster flights. For my selections, I chose the sweet red pepper mayo, charred pineapple mayo, mango habanero mayo, drawn butter, jalapeno mayo, and garlic mayo. I also appreciated the option of the 2oz flight sandwich sizes and chose warmed rolls for all of them. Furthermore, the waiters and host were warm and friendly. They were incredibly helpful in guiding us as tourists toward items they knew we would enjoy. Very casual and family friendly space. I will absolutely be recommending Highroller Lobster Co. to others. Thank you for the great service and delicious food.

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    SO GOOD. Lobster tasted so fresh and tender. Bread was hefty and a great compliment. (Lobster Roll)
    SO GOOD. Lobster tasted so fresh and tender. Bread was hefty and a great compliment. (Lobster Roll)
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    Union Restaurant

    Union Restaurant

    4.1
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    Wow... I've been going to Union for over a decade. Tonight, it would seem, may be the last time I…read morevisit. Before I rip them a new one, let me be totally up front and say the service was very good. Like many places in the Portland area, they're short staffed, and the people who work there are doing the best they can. Friendly, like genuinely friendly and nice waitstaff. They're doing the best they can with too few people. So, to be clear if any management read this? Your staff is fantastic. The food? That's another story. They used to have things on the menu like roasted Brussels Sprouts with all kinds of delicious. There was a pot roast, cooked over three days, which melted in your mouth, with truffle oil and parsnips and carrots. The cocktails? WAY above par. Now you may as well go to Applebees. Over seasoned, boring, and generally NOT worth the money by a long shot. It just tastes like all the other places who use Sysco or Gordon foods. I had the burger, which was so average. I mean REMARKABLY average. Yes, the lettuce on it was actually not just boring iceberg, but that doesn't make up for serving someone a mass produced, firmly packed slab with way too much salt. It says it's some fancy farm beef, but it sure as heck didn't taste like it. The dish my wife had was similar. Some decent ingredients but for the most part it was literally no better than what you'd get in something in a mall. WAY too much salt, way too little flavor. I also ordered a Manhattan. In a Manhattan, the forward flavor should be the whiskey (rye or bourbon or whatever). All I could taste was vermouth. AND it was served in a highball glass with a massive ice cube, and it was warm. The ingredients should go in a cocktail shaker or mixing glass, with ice, then stirred for at least 15 seconds while stirring. It should be served in a cocktail glass like a coup or a martini glass which has been chilled. Mine was in a highball glass. Not sure what happened, but I'm sure profits had something to do with it. You've got dozens of better choices in easy walking distance.

    Nice, friendly service. Enjoyed our meal here. I had the farmers salad with lobster added and it…read morewas very tasty. The lobster was fresh and a decent portion. We also enjoyed the hand cut fries - can add truffle powder to it - and the spelt bread. For cocktails I had the dirty moon martini, which was just the right amount of dirt. Solid place, located at the Press Hotel. A few other things on the menu caught my eye that I'd come back to try.

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    Scales

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    4.3
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    0.7 mi
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    Scales delivered one of the best meals I've had in Maine. We were seated right along the window…read morewith a perfect waterfront view of the boats and fishing gear on the wharf below. It gave the entire evening that authentic, working-harbor Portland feel while still feeling polished and comfortable. We started with a crisp, refreshing local Belgian wheat beer that was light, slightly citrusy, and an ideal match for the seafood-heavy meal ahead. For appetizers, the grilled octopus was excellent -- tender with a proper char, beautifully seasoned, and full of flavor. It came with pommes dauphine, pine nut and espelette vinaigrette, and garlic whip. There was a light touch of oiliness toward the end of the plate (typical with generous finishing oil), but it didn't detract from what was otherwise a very well-executed dish. The dozen raw oysters were exceptional. All three varieties were local Maine and served ice-cold: Fare Well (Newcastle), Nautical Sisters (Yarmouth), and Weskeag (South Thomaston). I had them with just the mignonette and was rewarded with clean, sweet, briny flavor. These were some of the freshest, highest-quality oysters I've had in Portland. The main courses were the real stars. The Stuffed Lobster Frites was outstanding. The lobster was sweet and perfectly cooked, the claws were pre-cracked for easy access, and the tail was cleanly split with a buttery, herby breadcrumb crust that added excellent crunch and texture. It was accompanied by scallop mousseline and dijonnaise. This is a premium dish, but the quality and generous portion made it feel worth it. Equally impressive was the seared scallops, served in a cast-iron skillet. The scallops had a beautiful golden crust and were cooked exactly right -- sweet and tender. They were paired with crisp corn, applewood-smoked bacon, kale, and roasted peppers in a light, well-balanced cream sauce. This dish avoided the common issue of being overly salty. Every bite offered a nice variety of textures and flavors, and the cast-iron kept everything hot throughout the course. It was precise, thoughtful cooking. We finished with the Chocolate Silk Pie*, which was rich, silky, and deeply satisfying with lovely hazelnut undertones and a crunchy chocolate-hazelnut topping. The presentation was beautiful, and it made for a perfect ending. Service was attentive and professional without feeling rushed or intrusive. The pacing between courses was ideal. Bottom line: If you're serious about high-quality Maine seafood, Scales is delivering at a very high level right now. The ingredients are pristine, the execution is precise, and the waterfront setting (especially from a window seat) adds real character. This was easily one of the best meals I've had in Portland. I'll definitely be back. Highly recommended for seafood enthusiasts, special occasions, or anyone who appreciates a restaurant that respects its local ingredients.

    Great place ! Cant wait to go back for dinner . Make reservations early hard to get…read more Decor was on point ! Service great Food was delicious and presented beautifully !

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    Beautiful !
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    C2 - Congress Squared - newamerican - Updated July 2026

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